The Colour of My Soul
by Reigumi
Summary: I'm not sure when exactly I found out what was going on. It probably started around that time, when I first started to see them, but it didn't register to me right then. I guess I couldn't accept it or believe it, so… I didn't. And yet, when I finally found something to live for, what I couldn't bear to face... came to face me instead.
1. Butterflies

**AN: Hey everybody! So, for those of you that already know me, I'm back! I didn't disappear permanently. And to mark my return, I decided I'd do a short story inspired by a pic I found. I've always wanted to a simple and short story like this, yet for some reason it never came together until now, so I thought that this would be a good introduction back into the world of FanFiction. Hopefully you guys like it even though it is a fairly simple story. Well, read and enjoy! And don't forget to check the end comments for news about updates to this story and some other things about my other stories!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Bleach or any of its characters... I think...**

* * *

_I wish just to rest,_

_To wash away my worries._

_And yet still, I wake._

I'm not sure when exactly I found out what was going on. It probably started around that time, when I first started to see them, but it didn't register to me right then. Now that I think about it, it was obvious. I had all the signs, and it was even stated clearly, yet I guess I couldn't accept it or believe it, so… I didn't. Perhaps if I had believed, if I had accepted the truth, I would have done things differently; but if I had… would things have turned out the same way?

Ж

"Nii-sama! Nii-sama! They're letting me go home today, right?" Rukia grinned excitedly up at the solemn figure next to her bed, her violet eyes shining. Byakuya gazed down at her with his emotionless grey eyes, a small frown threatening to form on his face. While she seemed more energetic today than she had over the last week, Rukia's face was still too pale for his liking.

"Yes, Rukia," he sighed, earning a curious look from the young girl.

"Is Nii-sama not happy?" Her eyes lost some of their excitement as she looked up at him

Byakuya met her gaze shortly before replying quietly, "Happy? I wonder…"

A knock interrupted his thought as the door to the room slid open. A women with black, braided hair and a warm smile stepped into the room. Her white coat seemed to blend in to the stark walls behind her as she made her way forward.

"Unohana-san!" Rukia called, her brilliant smile returning to her face.

"Hello, Rukia. Kuchiki-san."

Byakuya nodded to the woman before walking over. "We must speak before Rukia leaves."

Unohana smiled over at the young girl. "Please excuse us."

Rukia watched as Byakuya followed the doctor out and slid the door shut. The tall shadow of her brother lingered, visible through the frosted glass window. After gazing at the shadow for a while, curiosity won her over, and Rukia moved over to the door quietly. Pressing her ear against the glass, she tried to make out the muffled voices.

"How long?"

Byakuya's voice was more solemn than Rukia had ever heard, and it made her happiness waver slightly. What exactly was going on with him today?

"It is hard to say. Perhaps many years, or possibly only one. All that I can say is that you must keep her well taken care of. Regular visits should be established. At some point you need to tell h-"

"We will do no such thing. This is never to be brought up in front of Rukia, nor shall you ever inform her."

"It is unreasonable to believe that she will not realize at some point, Kuchiki-san. It would be best she not be-"

"Unohana, while I am indebted to you for taking care of Hisana, you will not tell me how to take care of Rukia. I have made my decision, and you will follow it."

Rukia grimaced at the familiar sound of Byakuya's disapproval. It was harsh to be on the other side of those words, and it made her feel sorry for Unohana. Even if Rukia didn't know what they were talking about, there was no need for Byakuya to be so harsh.

"I understand. However, I believe I know more about taking care of patients, Kuchiki-san. Do you not agree?"

Rukia's eyes widened slightly. This was the first time she had ever heard someone stand up against Byakuya's commands.

"While I do not doubt your abilities, this will be done the way I say. We will speak of this no further."

Rukia scrambled over to the other side of the room and tried to make herself look busy staring out of the window as the door began to slide open. She glanced back at the two that entered, the usual warm smile fixed on the doctor's face and her brother's blank countenance returned. Rukia smiled at them.

"Are you ready to leave, Rukia?" Unohana asked, walking over to her.

"Yup! I got ready this morning! But… will I be able to come back and visit you some time?" Rukia asked, tilting her head slightly.

"You can come anytime you need me," the older woman replied. "In fact, why don't you come by every so often so I can make sure you are growing up strong and healthy?"

Rukia nodded and skipped over to Byakuya's side. "Are we leaving now?"

"Yes," he replied moving toward the door. "It's cold outside, so wear your jacket and scarf."

"It's cold?" Rukia glanced out of the window again and noticed that white specks had started falling past the window while they had been talking. "Ah! It's snowing!"

She rushed back to the window and gazed out, eyes shining. As she watched the world slowly bathed in white flakes, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A black shaped fluttered off to the side of the window, landing on a bush not far away. Its delicate wings seemed to reflect different colors even though they were jet black.

"A butterfly?"

"Butterfly? There aren't any butterflies this time of year, Rukia," Unohana said, moving over behind Rukia, who looked back at her.

"But there is one," she said, turning back to point. When she looked back at the bush though, it had disappeared. "It was right there…"

"Perhaps you mistook something else as a butterfly?"

Rukia continued to gaze out of the window, confused.

"Rukia, we must go," Byakuya called from the door. Rukia reluctantly turned back around, but soon her spirits had returned and she ran over to her brother.

"Please take care of yourself, Rukia," Unohana waved as Rukia followed her brother out of the room.

"I will! I'll come and visit soon, too!"

Rukia said her goodbye and skipped after the tall figure striding in front of her down the hall. As she followed him, another person in a white coat walked by with a boy next to him.

"Bya-bo!" The man called, waving at him, but her brother did not acknowledge the man at all, only striding by. Rukia's eyes went to the boy as she walked, drawn by his bright hair. He had orange hair, like a highlighter color, and his eyes were an unusual amber color. As she walked by, he flashed her a big grin that ended up looking lopsided due to a missing tooth on one side. As she smiled back shyly, she noticed a small motion behind his left shoulder. As she moved past him, she noticed that it was a butterfly. It was shaped exactly like the one she had seen earlier, except this one was a soft shade of pink. Confused, she almost tripped as she tried to keep walking while looking backwards. As she stumbled the boy laughed, but it was drowned out by the man behind him.

"Don't be so mean, Bya-bo!"

"Um, Nii-sama… do you know him?" Rukia asked, turning back around to hide her blush from the boy behind her.

"No. Just ignore them."

Rukia did as he said and followed him to the elevator. When they reached the front door, Rukia's excitement washed away her confusion over the butterflies. She ran ahead, going out into the snow and looking up, letting some of the flakes land on her tongue. Finally, she was going home again!

"Come, Rukia."

"All right!" Rukia followed him to the car, feeling happier than she had in a week.

Ж

Rukia gazed around the room. As she thought, she didn't know anyone. That was to be expected when she chose a public high school after going to a private school since she was little. She frowned. Although, the only reason she had done it was to spite her brother. Who said she wanted to learn how to run his business anyway? He hadn't even considered her thoughts, so she had applied only to Karakura High without telling him, and here she was. As she swept her violet eyes around the room again, she thought that maybe she was going to regret it.

Almost everyone in the room seemed to have friends already, as most stood off in groups, chatting amicably, and there seemed to be some very… interesting people in the class. There were two boys off to one side having what looked like a very animated yet one-sided conversation, since one of them was constantly checking his phone. The person talking to the phone kid kept pointing across the room to a giant of a guy, who happened to be one of the only other people who was alone. He looked like a foreigner, and definitely looked like he could be trouble if someone messed with him. On the other side of the room, three girls were talking, well, two of them were talking while one was being held in a headlock as she tried to grab the shy looking one in the group. The one who held the redhead in the lock looked like an athletic person, with short black hair and sharp eyes, while her friend had long, flowing orange hair and rather large… endowments. Sitting not too far away was the last of the people that was alone, his black hair framing his glasses as he gazed down at a book.

As she waited for the bell, everyone else moved to their seats slowly. Her spot was nice: back row closest to the window. It gave her a great view of the room and made sure nobody was looking over her shoulder. When the bell finally rang and the teacher walked in, she noticed that the seat had one other thing that made it perfect. It looked like no one sat next to her. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Hello everyone!" the teacher called out as Rukia switched her eyes to the front of the class. "My name's Ochi Misato, and I'll be your homeroom teacher for the year." She pushed her brown ponytail behind her shoulder before continuing.

"So, let's introduce ourselves!"

As the introductions proceeded, Rukia managed to catch some of the names of the people she had noticed before, and as she had expected, none of them were familiar. Even as the introductions came to a close, Rukia still hadn't even heard a family name that she knew someone from. Suddenly the door to the class slid open and another student walked in. He, too, was tall, and his bright orange hair seemed to capture everyone's attention. Wait… orange hair? Rukia felt an odd tug in her mind as a memory tried to surface, but she couldn't quite place it.

"And who are you? You're late on the first day!"

The boy looked at the teacher, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that. Kurosaki Ichigo."

Kurosaki? Isn't that the name of Nii-sama's doctor?

"Ah, I see. Your seat should be next to Kuchiki. Kuchiki, raise your hand!"

Rukia did as she was asked, and the boy made his way down the aisle to the empty desk next to her. Now that she looked at him closer, his amber eyes also seemed familiar, although the fresh bruise forming next to his left eye distracted her from this fact. Was that why he was late? As she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, Rukia noticed that there seemed to be something moving at his shoulder. Curious, Rukia looked at it more closely. Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the object. A small butterfly fluttered around his shoulder, landing on it occasionally. While it was true she was seeing these weird images more and more lately, this specific one was one she had only seen once before. Its wings were a light hue of pink.

That… that boy at the hospital?

It was true that he had the same hair and eyes, and now that she thought about it, he had been with what Rukia later learned was probably Byakuya's doctor. It had to be him. But now he seemed angrier, no longer that happy kid who had seemed so carefree.

The guy glanced at her, making her face heat up as she realized she was staring. She quickly turned her face away, choosing to look out of the window.

The first part of the day went by fairly quickly, and soon the bell for lunch rang. Rukia turned back to her neighbor, clearing her throat as she did so. "Ichigo Kurosaki, right? My name's Rukia Kuchiki, nice to meet you," she said, layering in false sweetness into her voice.

He shot her a look, but didn't turn towards her. "Nice to meet you," he replied dully.

Rukia hesitated, not sure how to continue the conversation after such an abrupt and simplistic reply.

"Are you perhaps related to Isshin Kurosaki of the Karakura Hospital?"

Ichigo scowled and looked at her fully for the first time. "Are you one of the many victims he likes to call patients?"

"Oh, no, my brother is."

"Then consider yourself lucky," he replied, turning away and putting his head down on his desk.

Rukia could feel a slight twitch above her eyes. This guy was hard to talk to.

"Um, by the way, is your eye okay?"

"Yeah, fine. One punch isn't a problem." This time he replied without even lifting his head, making his voice muffled.

Rukia frowned. "You know, you could at least look at me when I talk to you," she said, losing all of the fake friendliness from her voice. Ichigo lifted his head slightly and looked at her.

"Maybe you should take it as a hint that I don't want to talk to you. Besides, why should I show you respect when you don't even respect your own self? Only someone who isn't comfortable with the way they are would act all perfect just to get people to like them."

This hit a nerve. Rukia glared at him. "I have respect for myself. It's just that I didn't want any misunderstandings to form with my new classmates, not that a delinquent like you would understand what it means to have an image you need to maintain," she snapped. Why was she losing her temper like this?

"You don't know anything about me, princess, so why don't you turn back around and stare at birds out of the window or something?"

"At least the birds would have some semblance of intelligence, unlike you," Rukia countered sarcastically. Ichigo only smirked.

"Too bad. You can't even talk to me face-to-face, how is someone as short as you going to interact with those 'intelligent birds?'"

Rukia stood up and glared down at him, her hand forming into a small fist. "I'm not that short."

A stifled laugh came from the man in front of her as he looked up. "I only guessed since I figured you'd be shorter than me anyway, but you really are short!"

Rukia was really _not_ liking this guy. All he had done so far was be rude and make fun of her. "I am _not_ that _short!_"

Rukia paused as she realized she had said that louder than she had meant to. She looked around the room to see most of the eyes on her. She smiled and put a hand on the back of her neck, laughing nervously. "I-I mean, I would appreciate it if you didn't refer to me as short, Kurosaki-san."

"Oh, my apologies, Kuchiki-san," Ichigo replied, mocking her overly sweet tone. "I will try to restrain myself from further use of the word _short._"

Rukia sent him the most chilling glare she could muster before sitting back down and turning her back to the annoying kid next to her with a huff. Seriously, where did he get off? She was just trying to be nice, and look how it had turned out. Jerk.

The rest of the day went by slowly for Rukia, who was still irritated with her confrontation with the idiot next to her. By the end bell, she felt exhausted. Why was she so tired? It wasn't like she had done anything out of the ordinary. Even with her weak body, she should have been perfectly fine. Waving it off as she needed to readjust to the school schedule, Rukia stood from her seat, sliding her notebook into her bag.

_Oh well, I guess I'll just rest when I get home._

Rukia turned towards the door, ignoring the glance from Ichigo as she walked by. By now, most people had already left the room and were loitering in the hall, which was what Rukia had hoped for. She hated crowds, and her plan was to wait around until the number of people thinned down a little. As she reached the door, a sudden wave of exhaustion swept over her. Her legs gave way as she lost her strength. Panic welled up in her as she felt herself lose control of her limbs and her weight shifted towards the floor. Her stomach plummeted as time slowed. Why hadn't she hit the floor yet?

"You alright?" a voice asked from behind her. As soon as she heard the voice her body tingled slightly as she regained some of her strength. She looked back to realize that someone had grabbed her shoulders as she fell. Looking down at her were amber eyes filled with a mix of amusement and genuine concern. Jumping out of Ichigo's grip, she straightened up, although she was still a little shaky.

"I'm fine. Thank you," she said brusquely. "I just tripped." Ichigo continued to look at her for a second before saying anything, but when he did, it wasn't what she had expected.

"Have we met somewhere before?"

Rukia froze up. He remembered? No, he was asking for conformation. He might remember seeing her, but he didn't know it was her. It was better that way anyway, right? That way he would see her as some weak little girl that had a weak body. She couldn't stand the look people wore on their faces when they heard that. Like she was some poor, fragile doll about to break.

"N-no, I don't think so. Why do you ask?" she replied a little more rudely than she had meant to.

Ichigo raised his hands in front of him as if warding off an attack. "It's just that I remember a girl I saw one time when I was little. She tripped over herself too, which is what reminded me. Anyway, if it wasn't you, that's fine," he said, moving to the door. As he made his way out into the hall, he waved over his shoulder. "Try not to trip on your way home, princess. I won't be there to save you if you do."

Rukia scowled as she watched him walk out, but couldn't think of any retort. It wasn't until he had made his way into the corridor that she moved to the door and yelled out at him as he strode down the hall. "Just where do you get off calling me princess?!"

He looked back over his shoulder with a smirk before facing forward again and mixing in with the thinning crowd, his orange hair sticking out amongst the other heads.

"So annoying…" she muttered to herself, but her scowl softened.

Maybe he wasn't as bad a guy as she had originally thought. He was just irritating and full of himself. Wait, more importantly…

Rukia looked down at her hand, closing it into a fist before opening it and gazing at her palm again. What had just happened? It was a lot worse than her normal loss of energy or strength. It was almost like her entire body had shut down for a second. Was it just a one-time thing? Rukia closed her eyes and sighed.

_Maybe I should talk to Byakuya or Unohana about it…_

"No. They would worry too much. I'm sure it was nothing," Rukia whispered to herself as she clasped her hand again. "It'll be fine. If it happens again you can think about talking to them. For now, just go home and rest."

With that, she walked out of the room, sliding the door closed behind her. As she did she noticed she hadn't been alone in the room. Near the window, fluttering around her desk was an elegant black butterfly.

* * *

**AN: So, how was it? Please feel free to let me know or to ask any questions!**

**As for when this story will update again, it should be up in one weeks time unless I get too eager and post it early (which is a distinct possibility). In other news, I have decided that in order to finish up my other stuff, I will work on one at a time for the moment. I have put up a poll question on my profile page for those of you who have read and liked one of my other fics to vote on the one you want to see finished. So don't forget to go and vote! Anyway, it's great to be back, and I hope you all liked the first chap of this story. Until next time!**


	2. Colors

**AN: Hey everybody. Thanks for the reviews and fav/follows! It's great to get a nice reception for my return to this cite. Anyway, here is the new chapter! I hope you guys like it, and don't forget to let me know what you think.**

* * *

A sigh escaped Rukia's lips as she gazed out of the window. Only one week into school and she had already forgotten her lunch? She let her head fall. Oh well, she could make it through one day without lunch. Her body might be weak, but her will certainly wasn't. Her stomach churned loudly as she thought this, but she grimaced and ignored it. So maybe she hadn't eaten dinner because she was working on her report, but so what? Making her first paper of the year perfect was more important than food. Again, her stomach replied intensely.

"Shut it!" she hissed at her abdomen as if that might help her get over the hunger. Rukia sighed again, leaning back in her chair. Looking around the room, only a few people had stayed to eat in the class, and those that had were huddled together in small groups, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their food.

"Dammit, why did I have to forget it on the counter?" she groaned quietly, looking up at the ceiling.

"Talking to yourself now, princess?"

Rukia immediately felt a surge of irritation. For some reason, there was one person who could crack her calm façade and get on her nerves, and that person had taken to teasing her more and more as the week had gone by. She glared up at the tall figure next to her, his amber eyes and orange hair making him stick out against the mostly white backdrop of the classroom.

"What do you want, Kurosaki?" she huffed in reply.

He smirked down at her before tossing something on top of her desk. "Here, eat."

Rukia looked down and saw that he had placed a wrapped yakisoba bread in front of her. Feeling her hunger take over, she went to grab it, but stopped halfway. She looked back up at Ichigo skeptically.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? You're hungry, right?"

Rukia frowned. "Why did you give me this?"

Ichigo scowled and reached for the bread. "Fine, you don't want? I'll just take it back th-"

Without thinking, Rukia grabbed the food before he could take it, moving it to the other side of her body where it was out of reach. Ichigo's face morphed back into that infuriating smirk that drove Rukia insane.

"So you want it after all?"

Rukia felt her face heat up slightly and looked down slightly to try and hide it. "Why did you give me this?"

Ichigo looked at her for a second, as if trying to decide how to respond, but in the end he just shrugged. "Dunno, just did. Maybe I felt sorry for, like if I saw some starving cat on the side of the road or something."

Rukia glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ichigo scowled. "Are you gonna interrogate me all period or are you gonna eat?"

Rukia's frown didn't let up, but she gave in and began unwrapping the bread as he sat down at his desk next to her. Taking a bite, Rukia realized just how hungry she was. Soon the entire thing was gone, and she almost sighed in relief. She was still a little hungry, but she could live with that. She glanced at the boy next to her out of the corner of her eye. He sat with his legs up on the desk and was leaning back in his chair, his hands behind his head. His eyes were closed and he seemed perfectly ready to take a nap. Rukia frowned; was it just because he had been nice, or did he not look half bad when he wasn't scowling or smirking?

No way! Rukia shook her head violently before setting a deep frown on her face. "Kurosaki! Wake up. Class is going to start soon."

Ichigo opened his eyes and the scowl found its way back to his face. "You're pretty rude to the person who just saved you from starving in the middle of the classroom."

Rukia looked away before clearing her throat. "I thank you for the food, but it doesn't mean you can just do whatever you like. It looks bad on me if I let my neighbor just goof off," she stated matter-of-factly.

Ichigo took his legs off the table and leaned his elbow on the desk instead, resting his chin on his hand so he could look at her. "Why are you so uptight, princess?"

Rukia felt the familiar wave of irritation at his nickname for her. "Why do you call me that?!" she hissed angrily.

"Why? Because you act like one. You have that overly sweet façade of yours that you show to everyone, just like a princess putting on an act for her people," he said as if it was simple.

Rukia frowned. It made sense, sure, but it didn't mean she liked it. "Just don't call m-"

"Hello, Kurosaki-kun!" a voice interrupted, somewhat annoying Rukia. She looked up as a bubbly girl came forward, all her attention on the orange haired kid next to her. This girl was… Orihime Inoue, right?

"Kurosaki-kun, would you like to try some of my taiyaki and curry? It's really good!"

Rukia had to suppress a smirk at the mild look of panic on Ichigo's face as he heard the other girl's question. Not only was it clear he didn't want the food, but it also seemed like this wasn't the first time he had been offered food.

"Ah… I-Inoue. No, I'm full actually. Really. But I'm sure Kuchiki here would love to try some since she forgot her lunch today," Ichigo replied, gesturing to his left were Rukia was now starting to panic.

"Eh~?! You don't have lunch?! Then you have to have some of mine! Lunch is the most important meal to a growing girl, Kuchiki-san!"

"This midget? Growing?" Ichigo muttered, smirking.

Rukia shot him a death glare before turning back to the bubble girl in front of her. "Ah, no, I'm fine. Thank you though, Inoue-san. I really appreciate it. But Kurosaki-san here already bought me some bread, so I'm full," she answered, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Off to her right she heard Ichigo mutter something and she looked over to see him roll his eyes. So her honeyed voice annoyed him; that was good to know.

"Is that so…" Orihime trailed off, looking between the two of them. "You two sure seem to get along…"

Something had changed about the way the energetic girl was talking. She didn't seem as happy anymore. As Rukia looked up at her, she noticed that there was something flying behind her. Already knowing what it was, Rukia shifted in her seat a little to try and see what color the butterfly was. When she saw it, it surprised her. It was a sickly shade of green.

"Um… Kuchiki-san?"

Rukia faltered when she realized it looked like she had been spacing out. "A-Ah, it's nothing!" Rukia laughed nervously. Orihime gave her a skeptical look.

"Kuchiki-san, are you okay? You have been really pale all day…"

Rukia's eyes widened with surprise. Was she really that pale? She glanced to the side where Ichigo had decided to look away. Was that why he had brought her food so randomly?

"No, really, I'm fine," Rukia replied, waving it off.

"If you say so…" Orihime's look remained doubtful for a minute, but she immediately went back to a suspicious and somewhat nervous look. "Ah, are you two perhaps…"

Rukia automatically saw where she was going and cut off the thought. "Oh, don't misunderstand, Inoue-san. Kurosaki-san and I really don't get along well at all. It is just that Kurosaki-san must have felt bad about me leaving my lunch at home, so he felt he should help me," Rukia dripped, enjoying the irritated twitch coming to Ichigo's eye.

Orihime looked to Ichigo for conformation, and he scowled over at Rukia. "She's right. We don't get along. Who could deal with a midget like this anyway?"

Rukia tried to make his head explode with her eyes.

"Oh. I see!" Orihime said, seeming to get over her earlier bought of unhappiness. "Ah, Kurosaki-kun, do-"

"Oi, Orihime! Leave Ichigo alone, he might infect you with his depressing looks! Besides, class is gonna start soon!" a voice called from the other side of the room.

"Shut it, Tatsuki!" Ichigo yelled back.

"Ah, coming!" Orihime answered before turning back to them, "Sorry. I'll talk to you later, Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san!" With that she hurried back to the other side of the room.

Ichigo sighed in relief. "That was close, I thought I was gonna have to taste some of her food aga-OW! What the _hell_ was that for, you damn little-"

"_That_ was for calling me a midget _and_ try to send her my way," Rukia replied calmly, withdrawing her foot from his shin. She watched as he rubbed the spot she had kicked.

"Ya friggin nutjob," he muttered as he checked for a bruise.

"Just remember that next time you think about calling me a midget," Rukia stated. She looked down at her own leg. Her entire foot throbbed from that kick.

_Guess that wasn't the best idea given my body's state…_

"You're crazier than I thought," Ichigo said, looking over at her.

Rukia smirked at him, but before she could say anything, the door slid open. "Alright, everyone take your seat!"

The rest of the day went by fast for Rukia. For some reason, she was feeling pretty happy. Maybe because she had finally eaten or maybe because she knew she had aced the essay she had just turned in, or maybe even a different reason. Whatever the reason, she felt great. Even her fatigue wasn't bothering her that much. To be honest, since that attack on the first day, she hadn't had much problems with her body since she had started school. Things were going great.

She smiled as she packed her things into her bag after class. Next to her, Ichigo picked up his own bag and slung it over his should. He smirked over at her. "Later Kuchiki. Try not to fall down anywhere that I can't save you over the weekend, alright?"

Rukia's smile wavered, but suddenly an idea came to her. Layering on the fake sweetness as much as she could, she replied, "Of course not, Kurosaki-san! I wouldn't dream of falling anywhere without you there to catch me!"

Ichigo's face contorted into a grimace. "That will give me nightmares for the rest of my life."

Rukia smirked. "Good, have fun with them."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, waving over his shoulder as he left. Rukia smiled again. It wasn't so bad hanging around that idiot. At least it was always interesting, and he didn't treat her like some doll. Rukia waited in the room until the crowds in the hall had vanished. She wasn't going to let a crowd ruin her good day. Walking down the stairs, she let her smile spread. When was the last time she could say she had a genuinely good day?

"Hey there, something good happen?"

Rukia turned at the sound of the gruff voice, taking a step back when she saw who had spoken. A tall guy stood on the stairs just above the landing she was on, his hands shoved in his pockets. His shirt and jacket sleeves were rolled up, and the top three buttons on his uniform were undone. His hair was dyed an unusual blue and his shift, cat-like eyes wandered up and down Rukia's body.

"You a freshman, girl? Don't remember seeing ya around," he said, moving down the stairs to stand on the landing with her. "And trust me, I make it a point to remember pretty girls."

Rukia took a step back again, only to find the wall behind her.

"Hey, hey. Don't worry, I'm not gonna do anything to ya. Just here to talk," Again, he moved closer, those eyes that wouldn't stay still flicking all around her body, just like a cat examining its prey. "The name's Grimmjow, or, at least, that's what they call me. What's your name, girl?"

Rukia tried to glare at him, but it didn't feel like it worked. When she went to answer his question, her mouth seemed heavy and slow, like her muscles had been submerged in syrup.

"Not gonna answer? Hey, that's cool. Let me see if I can figure it out myself." Grimmjow moved closer again, this time he was so close Rukia could smell him, a musty and oppressive scent that made her want to cough. He grabbed her hand roughly and lifted it up, unzipping her bag with the other hand. Rukia tried to jerk free, but her body didn't seem to want to respond properly. The guy reached in her bag and pulled out a notebook to read her name.

"Rukia, huh? Not a bad name," he said, sliding the book back in the bag and letting go of her wrist. Her arm fell limply back to her side. Grimmjow placed a hand on the wall above her shoulder, effectively pinning her in. His face got closer until she could feel his breath on her neck. "So, what do ya think, Rukia," he hissed against her skin, "should we take this chat somewhere else?"

Rukia tried to smack him, tried to knee him in his delicate zone, shove a pencil up his nose, anything! But nothing happened. Her body was numb. Even her legs were giving way. She slid to the floor as she lost what strength she had left. She wanted to cry out, yell at her body to stop being stupid. To smack herself awake. Why? Why did it have to happen now?!

"Oi, what's wrong? Ya can't even take that much? Guess that could be interesting too though," Grimmjow smirked. Rukia looked up at him, fear welling up in her. As she gazed at him, she noticed that he had a butterfly around him as well, and wild red butterfly that made Rukia even more nervous.

_Please, anyone!_

As she watched in fear, the butterfly began to move toward her, and it flickered to white when it separated from the man in front of him. As it approached her, it darkened to grey and then jet black. Fear swallowed Rukia as she watched the butterfly approach. She didn't know why, but she couldn't let that butterfly get near her. That butterfly couldn't touch her.

_Please! Someone help me!_

"Oi, what's wrong with you, girl?" Grimmjow spat, clearly not liking the way Rukia was acting. "You craz-"

A fist suddenly collided with the side of his head, sending him stumbling into the other wall. In his place stood another figure with equally weird hair, his amber eyes glowing in the afternoon light. "You alright, Kuchiki?"

As soon as he spoke, Rukia, who had been fixated on the butterfly, felt as if she had been snapped from a trance. The butterfly faded away slowly, still trying to approach her, but Rukia's attention was directed back at the two people in front of her. Ichigo turned back to Grimmjow with a glare. "What did you do to her?"

Grimmjow sneered. "I didn't do a damn thing. The bitch just started acting crazy. Hell, take her if you want her. I don't have time for defective goods."

"Bastard," Ichigo growled. Rukia thought he was going to deck the guy, but he stood in his place between Rukia and Grimmjow as the blue haired delinquent left, muttering about crazy bitches always giving him a headache. Ichigo turned back to Rukia and knelt in front of her.

"You alright?"

Rukia nodded. She had regained control over her body somewhat, but she was still to shaky to trust herself to move properly. Ichigo stood and offered her his hand. She slowly took it and let him pull her to her feet. Her legs wobbled slightly but she remained standing. Ichigo gave her a concerned look, but didn't ask what was wrong. Maybe he knew she wouldn't tell him anyway.

"K-Kurosaki…" Rukia started, her mouth dry. "Th-thanks…"

Ichigo looked at her for a second, his face expressionless, before sighing. "Shut up, Kuchiki. I just came back to get my phone. There's nothing to thank me for." He turned away before continuing. "Come on, let's get my phone and get you home. I don't think you should go by yourself in this condition."

Rukia stood still as he made his way to the top of the stairs. How was it that he just happened to be in the right place both times she had an attack? And how was it that he seemed to know exactly what to say whenever she needed it?

"Oi, hurry up princess. I'm not gonna wait forever."

A weak smile made its way to her pale face as she saw a pink butterfly floating around her companion's head.

_Thanks… Ichigo._

* * *

**AN: Okay, so I know I still haven't explained much, but the next chapter is where stuff should get explained a bit. I hope that isn't too much of a problem. The next chapter should be up in about a week, and I look forward to having you come back for that one too!**

**So, if you have anything you think I should improve on or include in the next chapter, or if you just have a comment or question, feel free to review or message me.**

**Also, again, if any of you like one of my other stories and want it continued, message me or pick it on my poll question and I'll be glad to pick it back up.**


	3. Warm Pink

**AN: Ah, I'm so sorry. Some things came up so I'm having to post this now, in the small hours of the morning. Things happen I guess. But, I want to thank you all for the reviews! It's great hearing feedback on this story since I wasn't sure what would happen. I also want to say a special thanks to the repeat reviewers, Blissbeat and shadowgirlxion. Its great to have you both along for the ride!**

**Anyway, here is the third chapter. I hope you guys like it!**

* * *

Rukia groaned as her eyes ran over the names written at the corner of the chalk board. Why did it have to be with him again? This was her third time being stuck doing class duty with her annoying neighbor, and it was only the fifth week of school. They should still be switching out partners every time, but here she was again. Did the teacher have a grudge against her or something? Rukia glanced at the empty seat next to her.

Okay, so they had being getting along better lately, and it wasn't like she hated the time she spent with him or anything, but that didn't mean she didn't find him to be a pain. Besides, he probably just considered her a target for his teasing or something.

"Oi, princess. What's with the spaced looked? Couldn't wait for me to show up?"

Rukia blinked as she realized she had been staring at the desk to her right. Looking up, she was met with the smirking face of her partner for the day, his amber eyes glinting with amusement.

"Shut up, Kurosaki. I was just praying you wouldn't come," Rukia snapped back curtly, turning away from the orange haired teen.

A small scoff sounded next to her and she turned to glare at him, but his attention had already moved to the front of the room.

"Hey Rukia, we're together again," he stated obviously, glancing back down at her. Rukia's frown deepened.

"And since when did you start to call me by my first name?" she questioned.

Ichigo shrugged. "Since just now?"

Rukia scowled at him. Was he being intentionally stupid today or something? "I realize that, idiot. What makes you think you can address me so casually?"

"Hey, sorry princess. If you'd prefer, I could call y-" Ichigo started, smirking down at her, but before his sentence could be aired, another voice cut in.

"Kuchiki-san! Are y- ah, sorry! Were you talking?! I'm so sorry!" Orihime fumbled, looking between the two with panic in her eyes, like a puppy who had done something wrong.

"Oh, no Inoue-san! Kurosaki-san was just being annoying, that's all. What did you need?" Rukia asked in her honeyed tone, taking satisfaction from the fake puking motion Ichigo made off to the side.

Orihime pouted in reply. "I told you to call me Orihime, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia laughed awkwardly, "O-Okay… Orihime-san. What was it you wanted to ask me?"

"Ah! Are you going to eat lunch with us again today?" Orihime asked, beaming excitedly.

Rukia faltered, but quickly set the smile back on her face. "Sure, as long as I don't have work to do. I have class duty today after all."

Orihime nodded. "Right! I'm sure you can finish all that work before lunch! Ah, you should come eat lunch with us too, Kurosaki-kun!" she added happily.

"Uh, I-I'm not really feeling all that great today, Inoue, so I think I'll just skip lunch," Ichigo lied, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away.

Orihime frowned and moved closer. "That's no good, Kurosaki-kun! If you feel bad we should get you to the nurse right away!"

Ichigo moved back slightly at the auburn haired girl's proximity. "Ah, no, it's nothing that bad. I just don't feel like eating today," he covered, smiling awkwardly.

Orihime gazed at his face worriedly for a second before pulling away and replying. "Are you sure? You really should go to the nurse…"

"I'm sure."

"Hmm. Okay. I hope you feel better, Kurosaki-kun." She turned her gazed back to Rukia. "I'll see you at lunch, Kuchiki-san!"

As Rukia watched her go, she caught a flutter of blue near the girl's shoulder, but as soon as she looked it vanished. Rukia frowned. The butterflies were definitely becoming more common. As far as she had figured out, they could give insight into emotions, or at least, what she thought was emotions. Really it was just colors that Rukia had begun to associate with different feelings, but she couldn't say whether she was right or wrong. To be honest, she sometimes couldn't even be sure she was seeing them. It was obvious no one else saw anything like butterflies floating around the room. Plus, in the back of her mind, she could recall a time when she hadn't been able to see them. But lately…

"You aren't going to eat lunch with them, are you?"

Rukia was jerked from her thoughts by the sudden voice. Turning, she looked up at the amber eyes that were now set on her with a knowing look. Both of them knew that eating lunch with the bubbly girl was an almost guaranteed sentence to eat some weird mix of ingredients that would leave your stomach churning for the rest of the day.

Rukia frowned up at him. "I don't appreciate being called a liar, Kurosaki. Of course I will if I'm free," she answered haughtily.

"So you just won't be free, is that it?" Ichigo smirked. Rukia let a wry smile appear on her face.

"Possibly."

"You are one manipulative little midget, ya kn-OW! Why do you always do that?!" Ichigo yelled as he grabbed the spot where her small foot had connected with his shin.

"Because you still call me that. If you're going to be rude anyway, I'd prefer you just call me Rukia," she replied curtly, glaring at him.

"Not only manipulative, but also sadistic? How much worse can this midget get?" he mumbled under his breath. Rukia again kicked out, but this time Ichigo pulled his leg back in time.

"You just like hurting me, is that it?"

Rukia smiled sweetly at him. "Oh my, I would never _dream_ of laying a finger on my precious friend _Ichigo_. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you," she answered sarcastically, her sweet tone making Ichigo roll his eyes.

"You not only act like a princess, but you even use my first name like you're on equal terms with me?" Ichigo asked.

"Of course. You should feel privileged I even talk to you," Rukia replied, going along with his line of thought.

"Sure, sure. Please continue to treat me well, Kuchiki-sama," Ichigo continued dramatically, turning his attention to the board as the teacher walked in. Rukia smiled as she too faced the front. So maybe she enjoyed her time with the annoying orange-haired idiot; so what?

Ж

Their work started at the beginning of the second class. Apparently a new set of textbooks had arrived the day before, and unfortunately, no one had brought them to the workroom yet. So, of course, they were the ones that had to deal with it. Rukia let out a frustrated huff as she followed Ichigo down the stairs to the empty room the books had been stored in temporarily.

"I guess we should just get this over with," she said as Ichigo slid the door open.

"It's just two boxes," he stated, going over to where they la against the wall. "Shouldn't take too long."

He tried lifting gone of them, grunting slightly as he hefted it. "Although you might want to take yours in parts," he stated, but a smirk was placed on his lips as he said so.

Rukia frowned and walked over to the box. "Of course I will. Don't try to bait me."

Ichigo shrugged, which looked funny with the large box in his hands. "Worth a shot."

Rukia shook her head as she took a stack of books from the remaining container on the floor. Lifting her small pile, she turned back to the door. "Alright, let's go. The faster we get these up there the faster you can come back down and grab the rest of them."

"Me? Why do I have to bring them?" Ichigo asked, sounding somewhat like a little kid arguing with his mother.

Rukia gazed back at him as she walked out of the door. "I need to get back to class before I miss too much of the lecture. Besides, you're carrying an entire box right now. Are you scared of something half that size?"

Ichigo scowled. "Shut up, Kuchiki."

Rukia smirked in triumph and began making her way back up the stairs. Was it her, or were these books getting heavier? Maybe she had grabbed more than she could carry for a long distance. Suddenly the air seemed to rush from her body. She struggled to catch her breath, coming to a stop on the stairs as she started to double over. Her body grew weak as she tried to take another step, causing her balance to waver slightly.

"Hey princess, pick up the pace. You won't get back to your precious lecture at this rate," Ichigo called from behind her.

Rukia tried to regain control, but she could only watch her body helplessly as she lost balance completely, stumbling backward toward the voice. Several objects thudded to the ground as she felt the rush of wind through her hair from behind. But as soon as she thought she was going to hit the ground, a solid body stopped her decent. She glanced up at the worried face of her companion.

"Oi, Rukia…"

It took Rukia several tries to form words, and when she did, they were shaky and weak. "I… I'm fine," she replied weakly, but her limbs were still numb.

"Like hell. Come on, you need to get to the infirmary," he said, moving to stand on the step just below her. "Can you walk?"

Rukia tried to move her legs again, but still no response. She shook her head. A small and embarrassing noise escaped her throat as she was suddenly lifted up bridal style.

"W-wha…"

"Shut up," Ichigo snapped, but his face was turning as red as Rukia's felt. "It's unavoidable in this situation…"

Rukia nodded slightly and looked away. If it wasn't embarrassing enough to be seen in such a state, he had to carry her as well?! Neither said a word as Ichigo quickly made his way to the nurse, and thankfully they came across no one in the hall. When Ichigo walked into the infirmary, he let out a sigh.

"The nurse isn't here? What is this, some kind of manga?" He sat Rukia down on one of the beds, his eyes still reflecting his worry. "Can you move yet?"

Rukia hesitated. "I think so…" She tried to move her legs, and they responded weakly. "I should be fine if I just rest…"

Ichigo sat on the bed across from hers. "You wanna tell me what that was, or do you prefer me not knowning?"

Rukia remained silent as he gazed at her, his amber eyes coaxing, but gentle. She looked away after a minute, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

"Alright, that's fine. As long as you're okay," Ichigo stated, leaning back on his bed. "Just try not to make a habit out of this. I can't always be there, although you seem to have pretty good timing so far when it comes to me being around."

Rukia glanced over at him. Why was he being so nice? This wasn't like the usual Ichigo. She gazed at him for a minute, neither of them talking. Growing uncomfortable, Rukia spoke.

"For someone who looks like a delinquent, you can be pretty considerate," she said, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

Ichigo sat forward again, looking at her with a smirk. "And for someone who acts like little miss perfect, you can be pretty blunt about things," he countered.

Rukia smiled weakly. "I have to be when I'm around an idiot like you."

Ichigo's smirk remained intact as he stood. "I guess I better go find the nurse. You should probably get some rest. I'll be right back. And I'll bring your lunch later. It's better that you not move too much."

"I'm not an invalid, Kurosaki," Rukia replied huffily.

"Maybe not, but you did just have some kind of episode, so just take it easy," he said as he made his way to the door. "Oh, and don't worry about the mess you made on the stairs, I'll clean up the books," he added with a smirk before leaving.

Rukia stared at the entrance to the room in mild amazement. Even after seeing her like that three times, that guy seemed perfectly able to just talk to her normally and even tease her. Normally people would just become wary of over-exerting her. It was refreshing to experience something different for once. Rukia laid back on the bed. Maybe _should _try to get some rest like Ichigo suggested... Slowly, Rukia drifted off to sleep, wondering just what kind of person the real Ichigo was.

Ж

When Rukia finally woke up, she had a pounding headache. She blinked up at the white ceiling as she tried to let her eyes adjust. As she began to become more aware, she felt warmth around her. Wait, when had she gotten under the covers? She started to sit forward, but her head was against that idea as her headache suddenly got worse. Giving up on that, she turned took look out of the window, but an unexpected sight was there to greet her.

Ichigo sat on the bed next to hers again, leaning back against the metal headboard. He had one leg spread out on top of the cot while the other was stretched out to the floor. He was reading some small book that looked like it might have said Shakespeare, but it was hard to tell since light was streaming in the window behind him. She gaze at him for a second, but her attention was soon drawn to the small pink butterfly fluttering around his shoulder. Suddenly though, he turned to meet her gaze, and smirk appearing on his face.

"Yo princess, nice hair."

Rukia bolted up, running her hands through her hair before the pounding registered in her head, making her clasp her ears.

"Damn," she muttered to herself. Suddenly, a hand pulled one of hers away from her ear and place two pills in it. Shortly after a glass of water appeared before her.

"Here, take these," Ichigo said, gesturing to the glass.

Rukia wasn't in the habit of taking pills handed to her by people other than medical professionals, but right now, she wasn't going to argue. She soon downed the small objects was resting her back against the back of the bed.

"You feeling better?" Ichigo asked, setting his book down on the bed next to him. Rukia nodded, glancing at the object he had been holding.

"Why are you here?" she asked, although her attention was still focused on the book as a method of trying to her hide the small blush still on her face.

"I said I would bring your lunch," he shrugged, lifting her bag off of the floor next to the cot. "I had to tell Inoue that we were busy. She seemed pretty down."

Rukia grimaced. Blue… So that's what that had meant.

Rukia sat in silence for a minute, not sure how to continue the conversation. But unlike earlier, this silence didn't feel awkward at all; it just felt comfortable. Rukia mentally shook herself for thinking about such weird things.

"What were you reading?"

"Hm?" Ichigo looked at the book to his side. "Oh. Just a book my mom gave me. I always carry it with me. It helps me calm down."

Rukia blinked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting a sentimental answer. "You must really treasure your mother," she said, still turning over the fact that the guy before her had a side to him like this.

"I did," he answered, gazing at the treasure with a faraway look.

"Did?"

"Ah, she died several years," he stated flatly. It was clear he wasn't fond of the subject.

Rukia grimaced as she watched the pain flash in his eyes. "I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but I'm sorry."

Ichigo smiled weakly. "I've heard that enough times to last me my entire life. So save those words for someone who needs them princess."

"Is that book something special from her?" Rukia asked, trying to get away from the touchy subject slightly.

"It's the only thing I have left from my mom," Ichigo said before running a hand through his hair. "Well, that and this hair of mine." He said the last part with a slightly laugh, but there was also a hint of bitterness in his words.

As he let his hand fall back down to his side, Rukia noticed that there were dark bruises forming on his knuckles. Glancing at the other hand, she saw that it was in the same condition. Flashes of several occasions through the year appeared in her mind. At those times, she hadn't really paid it much attention, but now that she thought about, Ichigo seemed to be bruised up a lot.

"Is your hair the reason you get into fights?" she guessed, putting the two pieces together.

Ichigo nodded. "I don't really care about my hair color. Actually, I wouldn't change it even if the entire world was against it. But there are a lot of people who think that I must be a delinquent that dyes his hair, and those people try to pick fights. I had to learn how to defend myself pretty fast."

Rukia looked at him surprise. "You mean you don't die your hair?"

Ichigo frowned. "Why would I dye my hair this color?"

"I don't know. Maybe you have a secret dream of becoming a carrot?"

Ichigo stared at her for a minute before starting to crack up. "The hell? That's what you came up with?"

Rukia's face began to feel warm, and she scowled. "It's not like I was serious! Idiot," she muttered, looking away.

"Sorry, sorry. That was just so unlike you," Ichigo answered, his laughing slowly coming to a stop.

"Well, I apologize for not living up to your expectations," Rukia said haughtily, crossing her arms.

Ichigo's eyes glowed in amusement. "No, don't apologize. That side of you is kinda cute."

Rukia felt like her face was going to burst into flames at any moment. Why did he say?! What on earth was going on here?!"

"Sh-shut up, Kurosaki!" she stammered. This conversation was not going well for her.

"Alright," Ichigo said, holding up his hands in surrender. The amusement never left his face however.

Rukia looked around in an attempt to hide her blush, but noticed that there was no one else in the room.

"Wait, I thought you were bringing the nurse," she stated, turning back to Ichigo.

"I did, but that stupid cat woman can't stay put. She said she wanted to get some lunch from a local store. Although I'm sure that's not the reason she's going there," Ichigo grumbled, an annoyed look passing over his features. Was he really talking about a member of the staff like that?

Ichigo stood and looked down at her. "Well, I better get back to class. Eat lunch and wait for the nurse. If she says you can come back to class, I'll see you there, otherwise I'll come back after school and see how you're doing. Just don't do anything crazy while I'm gone," he said, smirking at her.

Rukia frowned. "What are you, my father?"

"That is a scary thought. I can't imagine having a midget like you to deal with at home," he replied, turning and walking to the door.

"Shut it, Kurosaki!" Rukia snapped as she felt the familiar ping of irritation at that name.

He turned at the door and looked back at her. "Why don't you start calling me by my first name from now on?"

Rukia hesitated, surprised, before forcing a frown. "Why would I want to be familiar with someone like you?"

"Who knows?" he replied after a second. "Not like I care what you call me anyway. It was just a thought."

Rukia blinked before she felt a slight heat come to her cheeks. "Well then… Ichigo… I should… thank you; for earlier I mean…"

Ichigo gave her a sideways glance as he turned back to walk out, a smirk still firmly planted on his features. "You know what, I take back what I said. Call me Kurosaki-sama."

The awkwardness and slight warmth left Rukia all at once. "Wha-why you-"

Laughing interrupted her. "Man, you should have seen the look on your face. I wasn't expecting it to throw you off that much."

Rukia's face began to heat up again, and she said nothing, only looked away too hide the redness.

"Oi, Rukia." She turned slightly to glare at him out of the corner of her eye.

"What?"

He smiled slightly before continuing. "Just call me Ichigo from now on."

* * *

**AN: Another chapter over. I hope it was enjoyable. As always, let me know what you think, even if its telling me what I royally screwed up (although if that's the case, break it too me gently in order to spare my pride...). Also, while its great to hear speculations of what might be happening in this fic, there isn't much time left for those speculations, as the next chapter shall be the last. So, think about it as much as can before it all wraps up!**

**And while I've said this on every chapter so far, for all of those who like any of my other stories, make sure to let me know through a PM, review, or answer to my poll as to which storiy you would like for me to work on finishing first. I really would like to bring some closure to them, I just can't decide which order.**

**Thanks!**


End file.
